UTTERLY MISQUOTED. SAYS GWEN ROBYNS

Wanganui Chronicle, 16 April 1949, Page 9

UTTERLY MISQUOTED. SAYS GWEN ROBYNS

LONDON.—On her return after a round-the-world flight, Gwen Robyns, a New Zealand journalist who is now resident in London, spoke of the one unhappy incident of tne trip. -In Vancouver she was interviewed over the telephone by a daily newspaper, with “disastrous results." “I was utterly misquoted, and it makes me furious to think I should be accused of saying such things about my own country, of which I am so proud,” she said. “The report was mischievous. The statement that I said the shops were not overflowing with commodities applied only to a comparison of how easy housekeeping 1 is for Canadian women with the wide* variety of canned and prepared foods with which the shops are laden. I also said that whereas many Canadian shops are open late uno the night for the sole purpose of selling food to women. New Zealand women have a 40-hour week to contend with. Miss Robyns said she was reported to have stated that “New Zealand women haven’t a clue about cooking.” This was an interpretation of her remark that she thought New Zealand primary goods were of the best quality in th'e world, and that New Zealand women hail no excuse for not cooking well. Compared with the Continental table, New Zealand food was wholesome and plain, but simple. Before she left Winnipeg Miss Robyns was entertained by the Winnipeg Vv omen’s Press Club, whose president asked her not to "pay too much attention to the indiscretions of one paper.” Miss Robyns understands that the matter will be discussed by Canadian women journalists when they have their annual meeting in Vancouver shortly.—N.Z. Special Correspondent.